Apparatus for producing substantially pure magnesium



NOV. 10, 1936. F, HANSGIRG 2,060,070 I APPARATUS FOR PRODUJING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE MAGNESIUM original' Filed Dec. 2s, 193s 2 sheets-sheet 1 m 34;... Coo/ lN M60/UM NOV. 10, 1936. v F- HANsGlRG 2,060,070

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE MAGNESIUM Original Filed Dec. 28, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Q D: g e

I "i 2 3 m 1 N D: 'u f Q) N n; N n, N N N JJM- )I QS E Q 'fwvfk;

Patented Nov. l0, 1936 APPARATUS FOB PRODUCING SUBSTAN- TIALLY PURE MAGNESIUM Fritz Hansgirg, nadenthein, Austria, assignmto American Magnesium Metals Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Original application December 28, 1933', Serial No. 704,298. Divided and this application December 17, 1934, Serial No. 757,783

6 Claims. (Cl. 26S-19) This invention relates to apparatus for producing substantially pure magnesium,'and this application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 704,298, led December 28, 1933,

and is a continuation-impart of a copending application Serial No. 655,067, led by me February 3, 1933.

IOne object of the Ipresent invention is to separate substantially pure magnesium from non- 10 volatile concomitant substances. y

Another object of my invention, is to enable magnesium to be distilled so as tol condense the distillate as a liquid deposit.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the distillation of material containing metallic magnesium, especially apparatus for continuous operation.

The process forming the subject matter of my aforesaid application Serial No. 655,0'67 comprises passing crude metallic magnesium or material high in magnesium content through a heated zone in which magnesium is vaporized under the prevailing pressure conditions, removing the resulting vapor by a non-oxidizing gas from the heated zone, separating out dusty impurities from said vapor, thereafter passing the vapor into a condensation zone, and cooling it to the condensation point. The vapor is preferably prevented from cooling below the solidication point of the magnesium by being heated on its way to the condensing zone, and is then suddenly cooled to condensation point.

The process performed in this manner has special reference to the rening of magnesium by distillation in a continuous as contrasted with batch operation, the metal being condensed as a liquid deposit of maximum purity. If desired this process may be performed at reduced pressure.

While various types of apparatus might be employed for carrying out this process, a typical vapparatus according to the original invention consists substantially of an externally heated distillation still which is provided with a conveyor and connected, by means of a heated pipe line, with a condenser from which the molten magnesium runs oi into a collector, for example, through a barometric discharge, a illter being interposed between the said distillation chamber and the said condenser. The still, pipe line, lter,

condenser, discharge and receiver are preferably housed in a common heating chamber, such as an electric radiation furnace.

According to the present invention, the magnesium vapors issuing from the distillation chamber are freed from impurities present in the form ofv dust while passing to the condenser by using for this purpose the known principle of dust removal by reversing the direction of flow and/or reducing the velocity of flow of the vapors. By replacing filtration by such a method of removing 5 dust the vapors merely encounter a small resistance to flow which remains unchanged during the entire'period of working and doesv not therefore give rise to any irregularities during the process. Moreover, the thermal economy of the process is 10 improved because preheating the fresh filtering material required for replenishing consumed materia] when using granular lters, is dispensed with.

For carrying out the present process dust re- 15 moving apparatus of known construction in which the dust is precipitated by the principle of reversal of the direction of flow and/or of reducing the velocity of flow, for example 'centrifugal (cyclone) gas cleaners, can be inserted between the 20 Vdistillation chamber and the condenser; the dust removing chambers of this apparatus must, however, be heated in order to prevent any condensation of the metal vapors in the dust precipitators. v In order to complete the operation of the re- 25 moval of dust two or more such apparatus of identical or different construction can be used.

In order more clearly to understand the nature of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate diagrammati- -30 cally and by way of example, an embodiment of apparatus suitable for carrying out the process of the invention. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken on line I-I of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 a horizontal section along the line II-II of Fig. 1; 35 and Fig.v 3 'a longitudinal section showing means for feeding the material continuously.

A pipe 2 leads from the middle ofthe distillation chamber I, through which the material to be distilled is continuously fed tangentially into 40...,

a cylindrical dust precipitating chamber 3 which tapers conically in a downward direction. The lower end of the chamber is connected with the dust collecting chamber 4. Thel vertical limb of a bent pipe 5 passes through the centre of the 45 cover of chamber 3 and constitutes the connection between said chamber and the condenser 6. 'Ihe vapors bathe the jacket of the hollow condensing member 1, whereon condensation proceeds, the liquid metalbeing collected in the re- 50 ceiver.

The dust contained in the vapors which enter the dust-removing chamber 3 is precipitated chiefly on the cylindrical jacketmf the chamber by the action of centrifugal force, and the dust 55 falls into the collecting chamber 4, whilst purified vapors pass on to the condenser `via pipe 5.

'I'he distillation can be effected either with or Lwithout the aid of reduced pressure.

The distillation chamber I, dust separator 3, condenser 6, and the pipes connecting them are disposed within a heating vfurnace 8, as referred to hereinabove, for example of the electric radiation type.

Various means may be used for moving the material to be distilled continuously through the distillation chamber, that shown being one of the means disclosed in my aforesaid application Serial No. 655,067. Having reference to Fig. 3, distillation chamber I is in the form of an elongate tube in which there is mounted a screw conveyor 9 to which the materialto be distilled is fed from a charging hopper IU supplied with material from a storage bin II through a lock chamber I2 controlled by valves I3 and I4, so that material may be charged into hopper I from storage bin II while preventing entry of air into the distillation apparatus. The lower end of the charging hopper opens into a screw conveyor I5 which conveys the material to a pipe I6 which delivers the material to conveyor 9, by which it is conveyed continuously through distillation chamber I. Conveyors 9 and I5 may be driven continuously by any suitable means, for example through pulleys I1 and I8. Y

Distillation chamber I extends entirely through furnace 8 and the distillation residue is discharged into a pipe I9 through which it passes into a collecting chamber 20', from which it is is discharged through a lock chamber 2I Acontrolled by valve members 22 and 23.

'Collecting chamber 20, lock chambers I2 and 2I, and charging hopper I0 may be connected with a vacuum pump, not shown, through pipes 24, 25, 26 and 21 provided with valves for applying the vacuum to these units according to need. A stream of gas which is inert to metallic maglnesium, suitably hydrogen, may be introduced into the apparatus to provide a flow for directing the now of the magnesium vapors through pipe 2, dust removing element 3, and pipe 5, into condenser 6, and to conduct the operation in an inert atmosphere. In the apparatus shown, the inert gas is introduced through pipes 28 and 29 into both ends of distillation chamber I. As shown in Fig. 3, the inert gas may be introduced as need be into lock chambers I2 and 2l.

Mounted in condenser 6 is a cylindrical tube 32 the lower end of which is closed by a curved bottom, the condenser being disposed so that the incoming vapors bathe its lbottom surface. Mounted coaxially within tube 32 is a tube 33 also closed at its lower end and coaxially surrounding a tube 34 which is open at its lower end. Cooling fluid is introduced into tube 34, and is withdrawn from tube 33 through an outlet 35. Tube 33 is mounted close to but out of contact with the wall of tube 32, so that in condensation of the magnesium vapor on tube 32 the removal of heat by the cooling medium circulated through tubes 33 and 34 takes place principally by radiation. Tubes 33 and 34vare vertically adjustable within tube 32, as shown, so that the cooling action may be regulated according to need. The outlet 36 from the condenser'dips into a receiver 31 mounted within furnace 8 and provided with a flow-controlling valve 38. By arranging the condenser at a level more than six meters above the outlet level, a suitable automatic barometric outlet device is obtained.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention, and have illustrated and described what I now consider` to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specically illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for refining impure magnesium comprising a heating chamber, means for conveying the material to be refined through the said chamber, a condenser opening into a receiver for the condensed product of treatment, a pipe line for conveying Vapor from the heating chamber to the said condenser, and a dust separating device interposed into said pipe line being adapted to precipitate the dust by provoking variations of the ow of the vapor capable of producing depositions of the suspended solids owing to their natural gravity.

2. Apparatus for refining impure magnesium comprising a heating chamber, means for conveying the material to be refined through the said chamber, a condenser opening into a receiver for the condensed product of treatment, a pipe line for conveying vapor from the heating chamber to the said condenser, and a centrifugal (cyclone) gas cleaner interposed into said pipe line.

3. Apparatus for rening impure magnesium comprising a heating chamber, means for conveying the material to be renned through the said chamber, a condenser opening into a receiver for the condensed product of treatment, a pipe line for conveying vapor from the heating chamber to the said condenser, and a centrifugal (cyclone) gas cleaner, interposed into said pipe line, the dust precipitating chamber of which is heated.

4. Apparatus for the distillation of magnesium comprising a. distillation chamber provided with means for conveying through it the material to be distilled, a pipe line attached to the exit of the distillation chamber and terminating in a condenser which works into a receiver for the distillate, and a dust separating device adapted to precipitate the dust by provoking variations of the now of the vapor capable of producing depositions of the suspended solids owing to their natural gravity, and being interposed be. tween the said distillation chamber and the said condenser; the distillation chamber, dust separating device and condenser together with the connecting pipe being housed in a common heating casing.

5. Apparatus for renning magnesium comprising a heating chamberprovided with means for conveying through it the material to be refined, and with locking means f or inserting the material to be rened into the heating chamber and for removing the residue of treatment from said chamber, a condenser provided with collecting means for the rened product, a pipe line for conveying vapor from the heating chamber to the condenser, a dust separating device adapted to precipitate the dust by provoking variations of the ow of the vapor capable of producing depositions of the suspended solids owing to their natural gravity, and being interposed between the heating chamber and the condenser, and a vacuum pipe for maintaining the system under voking variations of the flow of the vapor cavacuum. pable of producing depositions of 'the suspended 6. Apparatus for refining magnesium comprissolids owing to their natural gravity, and being ing a heating chamber provided with means for interposed between the heating chamber and 5 conveying through it the magnesium material the condenser, all parts coming into contact with under treatment, and Working into a condenser the material under treatment and the vapors provided with collecting means for the refined driven of! therefrom being constructed ot a steel product, a pipe line for connecting the condenser -free from nickel and copper. l to the heating chamber, and a dust separating 10 device adapted to precipitate the dust by pro- FRITZ HANSGIRG. 

